I have stayed at Estrella 3 times now, with the most recent stay lasting 2 weeks! THE HOUSE was spacious with an open floor plan, perfect for our large party of all ages; people sat at the dining table with their laptops, cooked in the kitchen, played cards or watched tv on the sofas, and read magazines in the glass nook, as the north coast winds came thru the doors and windows. There were 4 patios. 4!! The front lounge area is where i sat every morning and drank my coffee while my kids ran around the property. The back patio is where we ate almost every meal, which overlooks the yard and pool. The pool is surrounded by a perpetually blooming hibiscus hedge (& there always seemed to be a nice shady area at any given time). Last but not least, the roof deck screamed for a hot air balloon launch pad, roof top yoga, or a dance party, because it is out of this world! THE LOCATION was perfect for our family with young children. Without being on the sand, the house is right ON THE BEACH and was only a 2 minute walk to the sand, priceless! We easily packed up our beach gear and were at the beach in the drop of a hat. Likewise, we returned just as easily, washed off the sand at the outdoor shower, jumped in the pool, and were ready for out next activity. If you are a kiteboarder, this is where all the fellow kiters of the community ran to check the winds; if the winds were up, you would see them running back to their houses/apartments to grab their gear. We walked into town almost daily with 2 toddlers, an easy 10-15 minute walk without kids or a 25 minute walk if you are going to chase the tide in and out, collect shells, and stop and watch the kiters. Cabarete is a fun, low key, rustic yet trendy little beach town that is right off the beaten path. THE SERVICE was outstanding and consistent. The daily maid service was always pleasant, in fact, it has been the same people every year, who we now know. The pool guy even brings fresh coconuts and pours the juice into pitchers. The management company was very responsive to all of our needs. There was a great selection of games to play, baby gear (infant bath, high chair, crib, toddler utensils etc.), pool floats, etc. From the airport pick up, to arriving to Estrella, the most coveted house of Bahia de Arena (which I witnessed when other renters of the community gawked at our house and even a couple asked for tours for possibly renting in the future), we couldn't have asked for a more spectacular stay!